Establishment of multimodal connections along the Adriabike cycling route – the Inter Bike II project was approved at Interreg V-A Italy-Slovenia Programme 2014-2020 call for low-carbon strategies. Five cross-border project partners implemented pilot actions of bike & bus and bike & boat transport on a few sections of the Adriabike cycling route. Adriabike, which connects Kranjska Gora to Ravenna, was identified in the strategic Inter Bike project of the past programming period.
The Inter Bike II project promoted cycling as a form of sustainable mobility while running daily errands or discovering sights of the cross-border area. Project partners tested three new pilot multimodal bike and bus or boat services along the Adriabike cycling route which connects the Alps with the Adriatic sea. In summer 2018 and 2019 the Municipalities of Koper and Monfalcone launched an experimental cross-border bike and bus service between Koper, Trieste, Monfalcone, Cormons and Grado. The bus service connected Adriabike and Alpe Adria (Salzburg – Grado) cycling routes. Local Action Group of the Eastern Veneto introduced in August and September 2019 a pilot bike and boat service along the Lemene river. At the end of 2019 a second boat service was launched between the popular tourist resort Bibione and the natural reserve of Vallevecchia (Caorle) in the Venetian Lagoon. The service was funded by the project by the end of 2020. Following boat rides will be financed by the Municipality of San Michele al Tagliamento. The construction of the boat that can carry 7 people and bicycles was co-financed by the project.
A new web platform was created www.bike-alpeadria.eu for promotion of long distance cycling routes and some local ones on the cross-border area of the Western Slovenia. These routes are results of past projects. The platform provides information about cycling tours, their level of difficulty and interesting sites. The partnership promoted the Adriabike route designed in the first Inter Bike project (www.adriabike.eu) on some of the most popular cycling websites.
The following promotional material was issued: GiraLemene cycling map, a leaflet of e-charging stations for e-bikes along the cycling routes of the Eastern Veneto, Slovene Istria cycling map was reprinted. The Municipality of Monfalcone issued a promotional brochure about sites along cycling routes in its area.
The partners prepared training workshops for stakeholders in tourism focused on networking and presentation of new multimodal services. The local administration presented future public transport plans and got acquainted with e-mobility technologies.
Part of project activities referred to signing. Along cycling routes in the city of Izola and its hinterland 90 new signs were placed. Along the Lemene river info panels about GiraLemene and Adriabike cycling routes were put. In one part of the Venetian Lagoon marks for night navigation were placed.
In autumn 2020 the Municipality of Koper build a new section of a cycling path leading to Adriabike in Hrvatini, near the Italian border. The Municipality of Monfalcone prepared a feasibility study for construction of a new cycling path in the city.
In the Municipalities of Caorle, San Michele al Tagliamento, Concordia Sagittaria and Portogruaro four e-charging stations for e-bikes, e-boats, e-trailers and smart phones were set.
The partnership intends to promote cooperation among local and regional authorities of the cross-border area on the fields of spatial and traffic planning, sustainable mobility and tourism. For this purpose a cooperation agreement between project and associated partners was signed in October 2020. The partners proposed the introduction of regular cross-border public transport services to the Slovene Ministry of infrastructure and the authorities of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region. The proposal was discussed during the meeting of Joint Committee Slovenia – Friuli Venezia Giulia in January 2021.
Main results:
– 3 multimodal services for transport of bicycles:
- cross-border bike and bus service Koper-Trieste-Monfalcone-Grado (connection with Cormons): operating in 2018 and 2019 (flyer, InterBike2_BiciBus_2019.pdf)
- boat excursions for cyclists along the Lemene river: operating in August and September 2019 (flyer)
- new boat service between Bibione and the natural reserve of Vallevecchia that shortened crossing of the Venetian Lagoon: implemented in 2020
- construction of the boat offering rides between Bibione and Vallevecchia was co-financed by the project
– cycling routes web platform www.bike-alpeadria.eu
– improved recognition of Adriabike cycling route: www.adriabike.eu
– promotional material:
- GiraLemene cycling map
- leaflet of e-charging stations for e-bikes along the cycling routes of the Eastern Veneto
- reprint of Slovene Istria cycling map
- promotional brochure about sites along cycling routes in the Municipality of Monfalcone
– 3 promotional videos: bike-alpeadria.eu platform (https://youtu.be/si5WVm2zJIU) and cycling routes in the Eastern Veneto (https://youtu.be/HeHXj8boma4, https://youtu.be/A8i16FEZcVM)
– setting up of a cross-border working group for cooperation in sustainable mobility and tourism
– feasibility study for construction of a new cycling path in Monfalcone
– placement of 91 signs and 3 info panels along cycling routes in the Municipality of Izola
– positioning of 2 info panels about Adriabike cycling route and 11 info panels about GiraLemene cycling route in the Eastern Veneto
– installation of 12 marks for night navigation in the Venetian Lagoon
– placement of 4 e-charging stations for e-bikes in the Municipalities of Caorle, San Michele al Tagliamento, Concordia Sagittaria and Portogruaro
– 385 m of new cycling path in Hrvatini in the Municipality of Koper
FB: https://www.facebook.com/inter.bike.ii/
Inter Bike II website: INTER BIKE II | Italia Slovenia (ita-slo.eu)
Adriabike route website: https://www.adriabike.eu/en/
Western Slovenia cycling network: https://www.bike-alpeadria.eu/en